Remove service road first, then build flyover, delegation tells NHAI

Kolhapur: As part of the ongoing widening of Pune-Bengaluru National Highway, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) plans to construct a strategic bridge over Panchganga river between Pulachi Shiroli and Ujlaiwadi villages, adjacent to Kolhapur city. The project is specifically aimed at preventing severe monsoon flooding on this crucial stretch of the highway.However, the project has run into local opposition. Members of Mahapur Sangharsh Samiti have expressed concern that the existing service road, which sits higher than the main highway, could act as a barrier, obstructing the natural flow of floodwater and worsening accumulation in nearby areas.A delegation from the samiti met with district collector Dr Vijay Rathod and senior NHAI officials, demanding the complete removal of existing service road before work on the proposed flyover begins. The activists alleged that the current bridge design contains critical flaws and warned that proceeding without rectifying them could trigger catastrophic flooding during future monsoons.Responding to these apprehensions, district collector Dr. Vijay Rathod assured the delegation that construction would only commence after the necessary design modifications are made to ensure public safety.Girish Phonde, coordinator of Mahapur Sangharsh Samiti, stated that the bridge proposed on Sangli Phata–Ujlaiwadi route initially featured structural elements that risked creating a dam-like obstruction. Such a barrier, he argued, would inevitably force floodwaters into Kolhapur city and neighbouring villages.“Following opposition from the local gram panchayat, the design was modified to a bridge supported by pillars. However, we recently noticed that the service road leading to the bridge is being filled up, effectively creating a massive mud wall. The design presented by the NHAI still has fundamental flaws. Infrastructure projects of this scale must be designed keeping the environmental realities of the next 50 years in mind,” Phonde said.Environmental expert Uday Gaikwad also flagged vulnerabilities in the current blueprint. He emphasised that the state irrigation department should only grant a no-objection certificate (NOC) after thoroughly reviewing the record-breaking flood levels witnessed during the 2019 and 2021 monsoons.Warning of direct action, the activists said they would physically halt the highway construction if NHAI fails to implement the required design corrections immediately.You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Kolhapur | Silver Rate in Kolhapur | Bank Holidays in Kolhapur | Public Holidays in KolhapurStay updated with the latest Kolhapur news. Download the TOI App.